PS5 design revealed — and it's wonderfully weird

PS5
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

After waiting and waiting, Sony finally shared the design of the PS5 during its June 11 Future of Gaming event. And it appears there won't be one, but two PS5 systems available to choose from at launch.

The difference is in the disc drive. The standard PS5 will feature one, but the PS5 Digital Edition won't. Both platforms look identical, save for that discrepancy.

The PS5's design looks to be a polarizing one. In fact, it couldn't be more the polar opposite of Microsoft's aesthetic strategy with the Xbox Series X. In the reveal, Sony's system was shown standing vertically, with two white, almost seashell-like slabs diverging near the top, uncovering the black core of a system that's connected to the rest of the body with blades, which are interspersed with blue LEDs. It's certainly the most ambitious hardware design Sony has ever shipped, and a very far cry from the rather drab PS4 Pro.

Unsurprisingly there will be a series of accessories shipping in tow with the PS5. In addition to the DualSense controller, which we've seen before, there's the HD Camera, Pulse 3D Wireless Headset and Media Remote.

The headset in particular could benefit from the PS5's sophisticated audio technology that lead system architect Mark Cerny spoke about during his deep technical dive back in March, though we're still awaiting more details.

Sony didn't share a definitive launch date or price for either PS5 configuration during its reveal event, though Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan did confirm that the system is still on track to debut this holiday season.

An assortment of games were revealed during Sony's event, some of which look to be ready for launch, and others that will arrive later. Spider-Man: Miles Morales is arriving this holiday season, while a Horizon: Zero Dawn sequel, titled Horizon: Forbidden West, was shown with no release date. We also got an early look at Gran Turismo 7, though that, too, was presented without an ETA.

Adam Ismail is a staff writer at Jalopnik and previously worked on Tom's Guide covering smartphones, car tech and gaming. His love for all things mobile began with the original Motorola Droid; since then he’s owned a variety of Android and iOS-powered handsets, refusing to stay loyal to one platform. His work has also appeared on Digital Trends and GTPlanet. When he’s not fiddling with the latest devices, he’s at an indie pop show, recording a podcast or playing Sega Dreamcast.